If you’re currently in the market for a new car, chances are the options you’re considering run on gasoline, not electricity. But as petroleum continues to become more expensive, and less available, automakers around the globe are hard at work developing cars that run on renewable energy rather than fossil fuels. The forward thinking folks at Good Magazine have put together a video chock-full of information about these cars of the (very near) future. Here are five facts you might not know about electric vehicles:

1. They Don’t Drain the Grid

Believe it or not, recharging an electric car uses approximately the same amount of energy per year as the average use of 4 plasma TVs.

Depending on your current car’s mileage per gallon, a 100-mile trip will cost you upwards of $10. One hundred miles in an electric car will set you back about $3.

4. You Can Recharge Any Time

Contrary to what’s often reported, electric cars can be charged at any time during the day or night. But it’s cheaper and cleaner to do it at night when the demand for electricity is lower and renewable power sources such as wind are feeding the grid to a greater degree. And since a full charge currently takes about eight hours, there’s no better time to fuel up than while you’re catching some z’s.

5. They’re Clean AND Green

Using less fossil fuels is inherently green. But when you consider that using an electric vehicle results in a 30% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared to a gas powered car, that certainly completes the planet-friendly picture.